History Series / NorthAndSouthUS

* AdaptationalBadass: Clarissa Main. The Novel version suffers her husband's death and loses her mind for the remainder of her life. The TV version maintains her wits, and at one point saves Mont Royal from destruction by gun-threatening some Union Soldiers.

The books were adapted into a TV MiniSeries starring Creator/PatrickSwayze and James Read. The series aired on Creator/{{ABC}} between 1985-94, clocking in at [[TheEpic 1212 minutes]]. In addition to being a [[StarMakingRole breakout role]] for Swayze, a number of then-unknown actors (Creator/ForestWhitaker and Creator/JonathanFrakes, to name two) also saw their careers get a boost.

* EqualOpportunityEvil: In the book, Cuffey's band of marauders includes both escaped slaves and Confederate Army deserters; even former overseer Salem Jones joins them.

->- ''At Hilton Head they called me "Private Cuffey." And still put a shovel in my hand.''

->-''At Hilton Head they called me "Private Cuffey." And still put a shovel in my hand.''

* NotSoDifferent: The Mains own slaves, but the Hazards' factory is a sweatshop, whose accommodations are even worse than that of the Mains' slaves. Orry is ready to remind George of this on quite a few occasions.

* SparedByTheAdaptation: [[spoiler: Orry]] in the second miniseries, based on ''Love And War'' [[spoiler: (in which Orry does get killed). But the final miniseries DroppedABridgeOnHim]].

* LeanAndMean: In Chapters One and Two, Ashton is a quintessential fair-skinned, voluptuous aristocrat. By the time 1994 rolled along, Terri Garber was leaner and tanned from her role on ''Series/{{Dynasty}}''; it worked perfectly for a weather-beaten, hungrier Ashton.

* TheCorrupter: The Ku Klux Klan recruiter serves as thss to Cooper.

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: In the miniseries, young Ashton is first seen breaking a toy rather than letting her sister have it.

* AdaptionalBadAss: Clarissa Main. The Novel version suffers her husband's death and loses her mind for the remainder of her life. The TV version maintains her wits, and at one point saves Mont Royal from destruction by gun-threatening some Union Soldiers.

* PlotMandatedFriendshipFailure: Orry and George's contrasting lifestyles & politics have caused conflict in their relationship for more than a decade. However, during a visit to George in October 1859, a row of disagreements over Virgilia's activities and the justification of John Brown's violent anti-slavery actions causes an estrangement between the two. It is not until George visits Orry in December 1860 do they reconcile.

** In the miniseries, Virgilia agrees to serve as Congressman Greene's mistress in exchange for a judicial pardon. In his final scene, Greene reveals [[spoiler: that Virgilia's name has been cleared for months; he was just stringing her along in exchange for sex. Virgilia becomes angry and shoots him dead]].

** Madeline unwittingly makes an enemy by helping Ashton during her abortion. One of the Main family's slaves warns that Ashton won't Madelene to continue on in the family while knowing her shameful secret.

* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler: Orry]] is killed off at the beginning of ''Heaven and Hell''. Through creative use of [[StockFootage Archive Footage]], [[spoiler:Swayze]] walks through a doorway to be replaced by a stand-in, who (silently) bites the dust when Bent stabs him from behind. Since

** Forbes, acting under Ashton's orders, deliberately goads Billy into a duel with [[TryingToCatchMeFightingDirty an unloaded pistol]]. Nice and legal.

Not to be confused with the Elizabeth Gaskell novel and miniseries [[Literature/NorthAndSouth of the same name]]

-->'''Billy:''' You saved the wrong man, but you did the right thing.
** Brett tries this with Virgilia, and for a while it even kind of works.

** In the miniseries, Virgilia agrees to serve as Congressman Greene's mistress in exchange for a judicial pardon. In his final scene, Greene reveals [[spoiler: that Virgilia's name has been cleared for months; he was just stringing her along in exchange for sex. Virgilia goes berserk and shoots him dead]].

* MaritalRapeLicense: Justin. Cuffey too.

* CoolOldGuy & NatureHero: Adolphus the trapper. Not to be confused with [[{{Film/Dodgeball}} Patches O'Houlihan]].

* EvilVirtues: Ashton's resourcefulness. She manages to go from RichesToRags and back again, equipped with nothing but her sharp brain and industry (and a little thievery and murder doesn't hurt). Faint praise, but then most of the antagonists are so blackhearted that they don't even ''have'' virtues.

The focal point of the saga is a budding [[HeterosexualLifePartners bromance]] between Orry Main of South Carolina and George Hazard of Pennsylvania. The two become best friends while attending [[MilitaryAcademy West Point]], but later find themselves and their families on opposite sides of the war. The slave-owning Mains are [[DeepSouth rural gentleman planters]] while the big-city Hazards are heavy in industry, their differences reflecting the social divisions that eventually led to the Civil War. Basically, it's [[{{Soaperizing}} a soap]] -- but with a budget.

** Justified, since she had to be able to pass for a 100% white person ''and'' she's merely an octoroon.

** JohnnyCash as John Brown ("We most certainly are at war!").